wrestling / Columns
Ciocco’s AEW Dynamite Review 9.2.26
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...SICKOS! It’s Wednesday, you know what that means! AEW Dynamite is LIVE tonight from the Credit Union of Texas Event Center in Allen, Texas, and tonight’s episode of Dynamite will deal with the fall-out from All-Out this past Sunday! Every title was on the line Sunday and, save for the Continental and Men’s World Tag Team Titles, we have NEW Champions across the board, as well as Andrade El Idolo winning the Casino Gauntlet match for a guaranteed World Title shot!
Usually I run the Headlines here, but since there has only been two segments announced (as of the time I an typing this at 4PM in the afternoon), I will just put into short form instead. The not-so-subtle debut of the tag team previously known as the New Day alongside Swerve Strickland lead to new Trio’s Champions, and not content to rest on their laurels, Swerve, Kofi, and Austin Creed will defend the titles tonight against the Rascalz. Speaking of Champions, Mercedes Mone dethroned Women’s World Champion Willow Nightingale, and tonight we will celebrate her! All of this and, of course, so much more in store for us.
(Seriously, these two segments won’t suffice for the 120 minutes of TV plus the mandatory overrun).
So, how is everyone doing on this Hump Day? Ordinarily, I am not a fan of September despite the inevitable start of the NFL regular season, however, with the Flyers starting on the 30th, having Dynamite in “Pittsburgh” the same night, and seeing the Trick on the 22nd makes for what should be a good month for yours truly. Now, if only we can do away with this heat shit coming back. Hopefully, this is the final lunge of summer before the season changes.
But enough about me and enough about you, let’s get ready to make the Dynamite go BOOM!
Dynamite is LIVE from the Lone Star State, as Excalibur and Tony Schiavone will bring us the call!
Excalibur runs down the show we have on tap for tonight. We get a video package of the biggest moments from All-Out London this past Sunday!
A World Champion BRUV is here to open the show! Justin Roberts with the special introduction for the Billy Goat BRUV! Hey. he’s even wearing the title around his waist, although it’s so big that it looks like the chest protecter that Bret Hart had on under his Tie Domi jersey when Goldberg went to spear him back in WCW. IYKYK!
OI, TEXAS, WHAT WE SAYING, ARE WE ALL GOOD? Forgive Will if he looks a little rough (YOU DESERVE IT chants), and Will says he spent the whole week crying, he doesn’t want to cry anymore. OSPREAY-OLE chants. So, sorry if I look a little bit rough, he’s been on a bender since Sunday! Oh, M8, he had to treat himself, he was pissed. He fell asleep on the jet back home with reading glasses on and snoring, but after that, it’s been a party to Dallas. If you have been there for me from the beginning, I thank you. If you have been with me since I got to AEW, I promise you that I will not let you down.
First order of business, Kenny Omega! We pushed each other to the limit; there were times that I wanted to stay down but I knew I couldn’t because I wanted this title. For the past ten years, Omega has been the best wrestler in the world, and he still is today. 364 days of the year, Kenny is the better wrestler than Will, but it only takes one day to become Champion! Will says it is now Will with two wins, and Kenny with two. ONE MORE TIME chants, and Will says he wanted to be Kenny’s equal, so he is satisfied with that.
BUT…
Kenny, if you aren’t satisfied, let me know the time and the place, and we’ll do it again.
This belt looks really good around Will’s waist! He runs down the men who have held the World Title in AEW, and he pinches his own arse lol. He grew up at a computer desk looking up highlights of Bryan Danielson. But the men he looked up to, he is now among them. This World Title proves that he has surpassed them, this World Title means everything to him, and if you think you can take this title, then you have to walk through the same fire that I did to get here, BRUV!
On to business, I have to give a shutout to the United Empire. They were with me in Japan; they were the sole reason I was successful. They picked me up when I got knocked down, and they have always had my back. They have their United Empire in Japan, and that’s fine, but Will is looking to create some opportunities and bring the United Empire to AEW!
The Demand are here on the ramp. Ricky says that he isn’t out here to rain on Will’s parade, far from it. He understands being misunderstood in this beautiful business that we call wrestling. Ricky says that they have unfinished business from before, and even he isn’t dead inside to admit that Kenny and Will impacted him. Ricky says that without him, Will wouldn’t have been in the main event of All-In, and so he is demanding a World Title shot from Will!
A wild MADMAN has arrived! He rambles about Will taking the opportunity away from him to become the first English Champion in AEW. I mean, sure, that’s one way of looking at it. Gabe says taking the title isn’t the only thing he will take from Will and his family.
Ricky and Gabe come face-to-face and debate who will take the World Title from Will. They realign when they realize that it is 5-on-1. The Dogs and the Demand approach the ring, but Will says you’re not the only one who has backup around here. The United Empire are here! They keep the heels at bay, and Will says you get ready and we will see you in the main event tonight!
We get another look at the debut of the New Level alongside Swerve Strickland on Sunday. Their first title defense is right now!
AEW Trios’ Titles Match: Swerve Strickland and the New Level (C) vs. The Rascalz
NEW LEV-EL chants before the bell. Strickland and Myron Reed will open this. Exchanges from both men, Swerve bounces off the middle rope and comes back with a cartwheel into a head scissor. Dropkick from Reed, but Strickland lawn darts him into the corner. Reed stumbles to his corner and Dezmond Xaiver tags in, while Austin Creed gets the tag for his team.
Both men come up fairly even, until Xaiver misses a round kick and Creed hits a back splash. Tag to Kofi, and some pretty fun double team offense unfolds, which sees Kofi hit a Vader Bomb from the ropes to Xaiver. Zachary Wentz in for the challengers, they overwhelm Creed and then hit an assisted triple team dropkick to Swerve. They look to fly, but Reed gets drug out of the ring. Stereo DDTS on the floor by Strickland and Creed! Tag to Kofi, who lays out all of the challengers with a crossbody from the top! That takes us to our first break.
Wentz and Creed are trading in the ring as we return. Creed looking tag, Wentz keeps him away, so Austin snatches up Zach and hits a sit-down Liger Bomb! Reed is in, but so is Kofi from the top rope with a double axe! Kofi with a clothesline, thrust kick, and the NEW LEVEL leg drop! Tornado DDT from Creed, and Strickland is in. The cover, but Wentz makes the save. Wentz gets the advantage until he comes off the ropes and eats a Flatliner for his trouble.
Xaiver intercepts a House Call with a Rana! Strickland attempts to fight off all of the challengers, but he eats a Stun Dog Millionaire into a running lariat! Fire Flame, but Kofi makes the save for his team. Xaiver sends him to the floor, but Kofi intercepts his dive with a Trouble in Paradise! Ere trouble in New Level Land? Creed fires up with a pair of Tope Suicidas, but his third one is cut off by Reed! FLAME ON FROM REED INTO A CUTTER FROM XAIVER! HOLY SHIT chants! The Rascalz think they have it in control, but SWERVE INTERCEPTS THEM WITH A TOP ROPE HOUSE CALL! Kofi scoops up Dezmond, Creed from the top with a double stomp, and Strickland hits another House Call to Dez for the win!
WINNERS: Swerve Strickland and the New Level (And still!)
TIME: 13:00
THOUGHTS: Jokes about being an opening BRISCOE aside, this was a Hella fun time. You knew that the Rascalz weren’t winning the titles, but damn if they didn’t look like a million bucks in this match. This is called setting the pace early and not resting on the laurels of Sunday!
RATING: ****
Post-match, the Champions look to head out, but here come the Young Bucks! Well, they couldn’t defeat Cope and Cage, so why not try for the Trio’s Titles!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
We see Mercedes Mone win the Women’s World Title at All-In. Excalibur mentions that we will celebrate the Champion, broken nose and all, tonight!
The middle-aged Bucks are in the ring as we return. Matt says that he will never complain about being screwed, because they have done a lot worse to people. But on that stage, at Wembley, at All-In, to beat the Bucks the way that they did? There is no way that you can be happy with how that match went down, so how about you get your asses out here and tell us to our face?
But they don’t get the Champions, they get FTR and Big Stoke! Stokely has the mic. He says there are only two men who matter in this ring, and one is named Dax, and the other is named Cash. So, Stoke is throwing shade at himself? Stoke says that the Bucks blew it at Revolution and they blew it at All-In, and they STILL think they are entitled to ANOTHER tag title match?
Dax takes the mic and says he knows that the Texas fans can’t keep up, so let him break it down for us. SHUT THE FUCK UP chants. Dax tells the Bucks Daddy’s home, and now, you have to watch the daddy’s beat the Champions to become Four-time AEW World Tag Team Champions.
Nick says that is true but remember that we have defeated you guys as well. And there is something that FTR have done on this mic that they haven’t, and that is cry like bitches and scream I QUIT!
They come face-to-face, but the Champions are out to Christian’s music! Cage says there is a saying that goes they don’t ask how you won the match, but did you win the match? Cage removes his wrist cast, and he says that for being the old men in this ring, someone needs to remind him just what happened the last time they were in the ring with the Bucks and FTR.
Copeland on the mic. He has to be the voice of reason here, and he isn’t happy how they won the match at All-In London. Yes, they beat the Bucks, and they made FTR scream like bitches, but he knows the Bucks are entitled to a rematch with how Sunday’s match went down. So, there is going to be a 3-way tag team title match at All-Out in Chicago on September 26th. And it MAY involve chairs, it MAY involve ladders, and it MAY involve tables!
And with that, we will have a first match for All-Out!
We kick it to the back, where Lexi Nair has the United Empire! There is a little bit of tension between Ospreay and Newman over expanding the United Empire, and Ospreay lets him know that he started the group. Lexi asks if they found a fifth man for their team, and Callum says that he knows a guy. The doors open, and Andrade El Idolo is here! He embraces the UE members and congratulates Ospreay on becoming Champ. They take their leave stage right.
It’s time for a TNT Title match, BUT DARBY Allin HAS BEEN ATTACKED ON HIS WAY DOWN TO THE RING BY MARK DAVIS! Allin is chucked around like last week’s refuse, and doctors will check on him as hit the break.
The beatings continue despite morale not improving, but Allin finally fights his way back. COFFIN DROP FROM THE TRUSS ONTO DAVIS! Allin rides Davis back to the barricade like he was a skateboard, Allin backs up, and he sends Davis and himself to the arena floor. Allin grabs his skateboard, but Davis punches it into his face and then throws it away. Davis ends up in the apron, and Allin looks to attack, but Davis shoves him away. He sends Darby into the ring and, after five minutes, the bell rings officially.
AEW TNT Title Match: Darby Allin (C) vs. Mark Davis
It sounds like Skynet is trying to take over the audio as Davis throws Allin from corner to corner with the greatest of ease. Excalibur says that it sounds like we lost Don Callis. No big loss, if you were to ask me. Davis with a running elbow to the back of Allin’s head, but Darby kicks out at two. Dunkzilla gets rolling and SMASHES Allin with a lariat, but again Darby kicks out at two. And speaking of AGAIN, we have ANOTHER break!
Darby is tying the wrist of Davis to the top turnbuckle with the tag rope as we return. Allin tees off on him, Davis cuts that off, and he hits a one hand Powerbomb! Yikes! Davis finally frees himself from captivity and he smashes Allin in the corner. The pin for a two. Callis wonders if we allow Greco Roman rope tie-ups as Allin slaps Davis. It has no effect, but Allin ducks a lariat. Davis with a back body drop to Allin, but Darby catches him with the Code Red for a two!
Davis to the floor, but here comes Allin with a Tope Suicida to the back of the big man! Allin scales to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick, sending Davis careening into the announce desk. Both men struggle to get into the ring, but Davis slides in while Allin heads to the top rope. Coffin Drop! A second Coffin Drop, and Darby retains!
WINNER: Darby Allin (And still!)
TIME: 13:30 (Including time before the bell as well)
THOUGHTS: If you’ve seen one Darby Allin match, then you have seen this one before. Allin is nothing if not consistent and persistent in how he takes a beating to the point where you THINK he is DED only for him to rise from the ashes. Two breaks during this also hurt the flow, but I’m not penalizing the guys for that.
RATING: ***1/2
Post-match here comes the C-Team RPG Vice to attack Allin. Steven Borden is here! He fights off Trent and Rocky and trades words with Davis, but Josh Alexander is back and he attacks Borden from behind! Alexander puts Allin in the ankle lock, and the DCF celebrate.
We see highlights from the Casino Gauntlet match on Sunday, where Andrade El Idolo defeated MJF to win the guaranteed World Title shot. That takes us to a promo from Sunday where MJF losses his mind over losing in a match that he never should have been in the first place. He blames AEW for hating him and loving everyone else, and he blames having to defend the title at Beach Break against Kenny Omega for his downfall. But Will Ospreay is everything that is wrong with this sport, and he isn’t saying when and he isn’t saying how, but there will be revenge brought. And it’s going to be so bad that you will be begging for it.
If you wanted more Brawling Birds and Divine Dominion after what happened on Sunday, than you are in luck!
Megan Bayne W/Lena Kross vs. AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champion Alex Windsor w/Jamie Hayter
Bayne dominates from the word go with forearms and shoulder blocks in the corner. Megan mocks Alex and licks her hand, but Windsor moves and connects with some strikes. Alex can’t send Megan off, and Megan comes back with a lariat for a two. Knees to the gut from Megan, but Alex avoids the charge and she peppers Bayne with kicks to the gut. Headlock from Alex, off the ropes, and Megan catches Windsor with a Fallaway Slam. Alex to the ropes and she sends Bayne to the floor. Alex to the apron and she hits the CANNONBALL as that will take us to break.
Windsor is going to knock Bayne down no matter how many clotheslines it takes as we return. Bayne cuts her off, but she ends up in the middle rope. Alex connects with a running big boot, screams her last name, and hits a DDT for a two. Alex again screams her name and tries to pick up Bayne, but Megan fights free. Megan with the bypass and a German. A second German, big girl lariat, but Alex is out at two. Bayne looking suplex, but Windsor counters with a roll-up for a two. Kicks from Alex, but Megan counters with the Falcon Arrow! Megan did the deal, but Alex won’t stay down. Alex counters Megan with what looked like a power slam for a two. Not quite sure what happened there.
Megan to the apron as Jamie cheers on her partner. Alex to the apron, and we get strikes galore. Windsor trips up Bayne on the apron, but Megan takes off her headdress and hits Alex with a lariat! Lena Kross grabs one of the titles, but Hayter disarms her and the fight is on! Bayne grabs the same title belt, and she smacks Alex in the head with it! Megan returns Alex to the corner, picks her up, and she hits the Mega Bomb for the win!
WINNER: Megan Bayne
TIME: 10:50
THOUGHTS: A really fun big girls’ match. Call me crazy (I know I am) but I wouldn’t mind seeing these four wrestle for the rest of time.
RATING: ***1/2
Post-match the former Champions stomp on Alex, but Hayter runs them off with one of the title belts.
Lexi has Chris Jericho in the back. She says Jericho lost in the Casino Gauntlet Match at All-In, but he says that isn’t entirely true, because it was Nick Wayne who got pinned. Wayne appears, and he says Jericho can’t write off what he did by saying that he lost at All-In. He is 21-years old with ten years of in ring experience, and he is better at 21 than Jericho was. Chris says that is true, you were better than he was at age 21. And Nick is one of the best 21-year-olds he has ever seen. But Nick needs to understand how things work around here. He calls Wayne a douchebag for the necklace that he is wearing, which earns him a slap from Nick. He kicks Jericho in the balls and tells him he is the douchebag and he throws him to the ground.
So, douchebag is going to be the male division’s bitch now, right?
We will celebrate the CEO, next!
BREAK IN PROGRESS!
The ring is decorated, and Mercedes Mone is here looking like she just walked off the set of the Devil Wears Prada 2! The new Women’s Champion gets into the ring, where we see pictures of Mone and all of her accomplishments. CEO chants. Thank you so much, says Mone. You see, she hasn’t stopped smiling since All-In. When she came to AEW, she stood in this ring and told us that she belonged here. She needed to be here. Because this is the only place where the Women’s Revolution could be globalized. And look at her now, she stands here as YOUR AEW Women’s World Champion.
Mone took a bet on herself, and this is what it looks like when you stop asking for permission. Mone traveled the World, and she became 13-belts Mone. And now, she has done something that no man nor woman have ever done, and that is win a World Title in four major companies. But to get here, she had to leave one thing behind, and that was Willow Nightingale. At All-In, she showed the whole World who Willow really is. She is a self-centered, egotistical, arrogant, BITCH. WILLOW chants, and Mone says you want to chant for her after what she did to me?
Mone takes her hat off and we see the bruise and effect from that broken nose on Sunday. Mone says that she does have to thank Willow, because of her she is the one smiling now. HAHAHA! You are standing in the Kingdom of royalty, and this isn’t just about one moment, what she wants for this Women’s Division is something that we haven’t seen yet. But with the title in her hands, it will be!
Drunk Thekla is here! She’s not here to interrupt her, she is here to celebrate with her! She even brought her own tequila! Mone is an icon, she is amazing, but you haven’t been Toxic! Thekla wants to thank Mone for what she did to Willow, she says if anyone needed to be humiliated, it was Willow. Thekla hears that Mone loves to swing the title between her legs, but no one swings it bigger than Thekla does! She also heard that, since she has been gone, that Mone has been calling people dumb bitches! And if there is one thing that she hates more than anything else, it’s a dumb bitch calling other people dumb bitches…
Dumb bitch!
Thekla says you may be the CEO, but she doesn’t work for you, BAYBAY! Thekla says to let her know when Mone wants to give her the World Title back! Okay, now THIS will be fun!
Doctor Britt Baker D…M…D made her return on Sunday at All-In, and she is in the back with TBS and CMLL Women’s World Champion Persephone. Baker says that “Stephy” has something that you can’t teach, and while she has been a Champion and held titles, Stephy will take the titles to places that no one could imagine. Persephone says that she promised to make Maya’s World stop turning, and she isn’t done yet.
Britt: Yours Truly.
Persephone: Doctor Britt Baker
Britt: D…M…D!
Jon Moxley has entered from the outer world!
AEW Continental Title Eliminator: Jon Moxley vs. A.R. Fox
The bell rings, and we get some mat wrestling. Some more AR FOX chants than for Moxley. Excalibur mentions that Tony Khan has made the 3-way tag team title match at All-Out official as Fox with a crucifix for a two. Fox fires himself up, but Moxley ends that with a clothesline. Fox has his kick countered, but he counters with an enziguri. Moxley to the floor, Fox to the apron, and he kicks off the ring post for a moonsault to the floor! Fox to the top rope, Moxley avoids and hits the John WOOOOOOO dropkick! That’s time for a break.
Moxley has Fox grounded as we return, but it doesn’t last long, as Fox fires back and sends Moxley to the mat. Fox with a clothesline, Mox asks for a second one, so AR gives it. Fox with a third clothesline, Jon pushes him away, but Fox with a CUTTER! Fox to the top rope, the moonsault meets knees, and Jon with the King Kong Lariat! Moxley picks up Fox, but AR counters with the twisting suplex! Fox to the top again, 450 Splash connects, but Jon is out at two. Fox goes to roll up Moxley, but Jon counters with the Sleeper into the Death Rider for the win!
WINNER: Jon Moxley
TIME: 8:20
THOUGHTS: Any time that AR Fox makes it onto TV, especially Dynamite, it is a great occasion. And he got enough offense in to make it seem like he was GOING to win this Eliminator, but to quote the famous, all Moxley does is “win, win, win!”
RATING: ***1/2
Excalibur lets us know that Moxley is now the all-time win leader in AEW history. We don’t call him the MVP of AEW for nothing!
The ten-man main event is up next!
BREAK IN PRGRESS!
Lexi is in the back with Don Callis, Kevin Knight, and Kyle Fletcher. Kevin complains because he was screwed by Sting and his family on Sunday, unlike Fletcher. Kyle says that at least his title is still in the Family, unlike Knight’s title, which he lost to Darby Allin. The argument is broken up by Callis, who lets them know that they will be teaming up on Collision to face Juice Robinson and Ace Austin. Both men object to this, but Kazuchika Okada is here with his International Title! He gives a shit eating grin and says FAMILY! Fletcher says that’s real cute and Callis leaves with Okada, leaving Kyle and Kevin to brood.
It’s time for the MAIN EVENT! (/Mark Henry voice)
The Dogs and The Demand vs. The United Empire, National Champion Andrade El Idolo, and World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay
BRUV and Ricky to start this off. Never mind, Ricky doesn’t want any and tags in Toa Liona. Liona approaches and says he wants Henare, and Will gives him what they want. They both try to intimidate one another, strikes are thrown, screaming ensues, Henare won’t back down and goes for some headbutts. Off the ropes, but Liona takes out Henare with a clothesline.
The GOA with a double hip toss to Henare and a back splash follows from Bishop Kaun for a two. Discount Cowboy Clark Connors is in, and he doesn’t understand why slamming Henare’s head into the corner doesn’t hurt him. Henare bowls over Clark, the faces hold the ring against the heels, and Ospreay drops Franseco Akira onto Kaun. The pin, but the heels make the save. The fight spills out to the floor, and Andrade goes inside out with the Tope Cornio! Andrade finds the baddie to take a selfie with, but the rest of the team joins in lol. The heels ambush them, and Ricky powerbombs Akira from the apron and onto his teammates as we hit what should be the final break.
Connors and Akira are doing battle as we return. Connors sends Akira to the apron, where he has to fight off the Demand. Slingshot back in and Akira with a CUTTER to Clark! The tag to Callum Newman, who runs the ropes with ferocious intensity and wipes out both Connors and Kaun. Newman and Kaun trade, strikes are countered until Newman lays him out with a big boot. Tag to Henare, who takes Kaun spinning and hits a running Senton. The cover, but the MADMAN makes the save. Andrade cuts him off, Kaun sends Andrade to the floor, and the heels work over Henare until Akira makes the save.
Akira finds himself between a rock and a hard place as he tries to strike GOA. Kaun and Liona eat these strikes and scream at Akira, so he screams back lol. GOA pick up Akira, but he escapes and hits a Tope to Kidd! Double sammich from GOA on the floor! It’s down to Ricky and Willy in the ring with some awesome athleticism. Ospreay with the corkscrew kick for a two. Ricky avoids Will’s springboard and comes off the ropes with a flying back elbow. Tag to Connors, who hits Ospreay with a powerslam. Connors goes rope running, only for Ospreay to catch him with an enziguri.
This is the point of the match where everyone gets their shit in, and the ref is just there for show. Connors takes out Newman with a SPEAR, and he lines up Ospreay for a SPEAR, but Andrade intercepts him with Dos Muerte! Connors dropped to his knees, and Ospreay delivers the Hidden Blade to win it for his team!
WINNERS: The United Empire, Will Ospreay, and Andrade El Idolo
TIME: 13:50
THOUGHTS: A fun main event. Future storylines and matches were played out through this match, chief among them is Andrade and the MADMAN for Collison this Saturday. Will winning the match is no surprise, but the dynamic between him and Andrade will be an interesting one to monitor moving forward.
RATING: ***3/4
Post-match, the faces celebrate, but the poor losers pull the faces out of the ring, and we have a ring-side brawl. Kidd launches Andrade over the announce table and he apparently took out Excalibur as well. Ospreay fights off Kidd, but Gabe with a low blow! He grabs the chair from under the butt of Arkady Ora, and he goes to hit Ospreay with it, but the Death Riders music hits! Kidd is all smiles thinking that Moxley is here to help him, but Moxley takes the chair from him! They argue over this, and Kidd raises the chair again, but Moxley stands in his way! Andrade is back, and he SPEARS Kidd through the ropes, and they fight into the crowd. Moxley looks like he is going to attack Ospreay, but he instead hands the title to BRUV. We see a graphic on the wall that shows Will Ospreay will defend the World Title against Jon Moxley! Moxley and Ospreay stare at one another, Moxley removes his hand from around Will’s neck, looks conflicted, and leaves the ring.
And with that, we are done!
